Electrical component control device

ABSTRACT

An electrical device having a parameter made variable by a control assembly which includes a shaft having a helix-like thread along its longitudinal length and a wiper block having a bore therethrough for receiving the shaft. The block also includes a second smaller bore orthoganal to the first bore and contains therein a small ball held under tension and disposed to ride along the threaded portion of shaft in response to the rotation thereof. The block contains wiper means for engaging the variable parameter to provide continuity between said parameter and external circuitry.

United States Patent US] 3,694,788 Perrisini 5] Sept. 26, 1972 [541ELECTRICAL COMPONENT CONTROL 2,921,284 l/l960 Fosdick et al ..338/l80 XDEVICE 72 Inventor: Richard Perrisini, s34 Bergen Blvd., 'T MyersPalasades Park N J 07650 Assistant Examiner-D. A. Tone Att0rneyWilliamV. Pesce [22] Filed: July 6, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 159,631 [57] ABSTRACT Anelectrical device having a parameter made variable by a control assemblywhich includes a shaft having a [52] U.S.Cl ..338/180 heliHike threadalong its longitudinal length and a I [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lc 1/12 wiperblock having a bore therethrough for receiving [58] Field of Search"338/180 181; 336/149 the Shaft The block also includes a Second smallerbore orthoganal to the first bore and contains therein [56] ReferencesCited a small ball held under tension and disposed to ride UNI E STATESPATENTS along the tthreagle clihpogtlionkof shaft in response to tfherotatlont ereo. e 00 contains wiper means or 2945199 7/1960 Mucher et"338/180 engaging the variable parameter to provide continuity l'rkendanbetween said parameter and external circuitry.

rouse 2,761,045 8/1956 Matthew ..338/1 80 X 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figureswill WWW 'HHHIH it [1. l

PATENTEDssrzs m2 ATTORNEY sistance, voltage, etc., in general employ theuse of standard threaded shafts in conjunction with threaded contactblocks or wipers. For example, potentiometers of the multiturn varietyemploy this type of adjustable device. In such arrangement where thecontact block or wiper must transverse more than one inch, the number ofthreads and/or turns required on the shaft becomes cumbersome and timefor making adjustments tiring.

To offset such limitations it is intended to provide component controlswhich make adjustment resolution essentially infinite; greatly reducethe friction between the contact block and shaft so as to make startingtorque negligible; increase the life of the component because of thereduced friction; reduce backlash between shaft and block because of theimproved fit between block and shaft; avoid damage to control at extremeends of block travel because of clutch simulation between block andshaft; and the controlled rotation of shaft and block is non-binding andinsensitive to temperature variations.

The foregoing are some of the objects to be ascertained by the inventiondisclosed herein and other advantages and objects will become readilyapparent from a reading of the following specification and a study ofthe accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows in perspective an electrical component or device comparableto a delay line including the control mechanism according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows in part an electrical component and control device ingreater detail.

FIG. 3 shows a section through the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged section of threaded shaft.

Now describing the invention in greater detail, there is shown in FIG. 1an enclosure 1 having a continuously elongated wound coil 2 and acontrol device assembly 3 mounted within said enclosure in proximity tosaid elongated wound coil 2.

The control device assembly 3 includes a non-standard threaded shaft 4mounted at extreme ends 5 and 6 to the enclosure and supporting aninternally threaded block-type contact movable member 7 disposed totraverse said shaft in response to the rotation thereof. The said blockitself further includes a pair of internally connected wipers orcontacts 8 and 9, each disposed to wipe or otherwise conductively engagecoil 2 and conductive coating 10 coated along the upper inner surface 11 of said enclosure.

The threaded shaft 4, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, is composed of a shaft12 about which is wound in helixlike fashion continuously along saidshaft a ribbon-like strip 13 which forms a thread having a relativelylarge pitch across which said block may traverse. The ribbon and shaftare bonded together in any convenient fashion. This arrangement is shownas a particular assembly, other types may be made, however the objectbeing to have a large single threaded shaft with a large pitch and oneconveniently traversed by the block about to be described in eat rdetail.

bserving FIGS. 2 an 3, it is seen that the block 7 itself represents anenclosure 15 having a bore 16 therethrough for accommodating andreceiving the shaft 6. Another bore 17 orthogenial to and smaller insize to bore 16 penetrates said block and receives therein aball-bearing l8 and held under tension by spring 19 so as to maintainsaid block in operable contact with said shaft as the block traversesthe shaft in response to the rotation thereof.

Rotation of the shaft, at the extremities thereof causes the block orwiper assembly 7 to move along the race 20 which is comparable to thevalley of the threaded part of shaft. The ball 18 rides along the race20 and is held fixedly therein, being made to traverse the race alongthe threaded shaft in response to the rotation of the shaft. At the endof the traverse of the wiper, to the extreme ends of the shaft, thewiper or block remains there because additional rotation of shaft merelycauses the ball to rotate relative to the race and smaller bore 16, withno relative movement of said wiper to the shaft. Hence, no damage willensue to the wiper or component.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to acertain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art, after understanding theprinciple of the invention, that various changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention andit is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications.

Having defined the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An electrical device having a controllable parameter comprising:

a. an enclosure,

b. an electrical component having a measurable parameter variable inmagnitude,

c. control means for varying the value of said measurable parameter ofsaid electrical component,

d. said control means further comprising;

1. rotatable threaded shaft means mounted within said enclosure,

2. wiper means which includes a block-like enclosure having a first borereceiving said rotatable shaft and second smaller bore orthogonal to andin communication with said first bore, a ballbearing contained withinsecond said bore and held in tensional contact with said shaft along thethreaded portion thereof, and disposed to ride along said threadedportion in response to the rotation of said shaft to effect longitudinalmovements of the wiper.

2. An electrical device according to claim 1 and wherein said first boreis a non-threaded bore receiving in relative sliding engagement saidrotatable shaft.

1. An electrical device having a controllable parameter comprising: a.an enclosure, b. an electrical component having a measurable parametervariable in magnitude, c. control means for varying the value of saidmeasurable parameter of said electrical component, d. said control meansfurther comprising;
 1. rotatable threaded shaft means mounted withinsaid enclosure,
 2. wiper means which includes a block-like enclosurehaving a first bore receiving said rotatable shaft and second smallerbore orthogonal to and in communication with said first bore, aballbearing contained within second said bore and held in tensionalcontact with said shaft along the threaded portion thereof, and disposedto ride along said threaded portion in response to the rotation of saidshaft to effect longitudinal movements of the wiper.
 2. An electricaldevice according to claim 1 and wherein said first bore is anon-threaded bore receiving in relative sliding engagement saidrotatable shaft.
 2. wiper means which includes a block-like enclosurehaving a first bore receiving said rotatable shaft and second smallerbore orthogonal to and in communication with said first bore, aballbearing contained within second said bore and held in tensionalcontact with said shaft along the threaded portion thereof, and disposedto ride along said threaded portion in response to the rotation of saidshaft to effect longitudinal movements of the wiper.